Device for scoring of crystalline semiconductor materials



1965 F. H. NABlULLlN ETAL 3,222,953

DEVICE FOR SCORING OF CRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS Filed March 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. H. NABIULLIN ETAL 3,222,963

DEVICE FOR SCORING OF CRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 14, 1965 Filed March 11, 1964 as ?5 IL ADHESIVE United States Patent 3,222,963 DEVICE FOR SCORING OF CRYSTALLINE SEMICUNDUCTOR MATERIALS Faat Hatovich Nahiullin, 3rd Mytishchinskaja ulitsa, 14a, Apt. 78; Ruben Grigorjevich Adamjan, per. Vedernikov 4/ 12, Apt. 38; Etim Mikhailovich Gertsik, 3rd Mytishchinskaja uiitsa, 14a, Apt. 98; Ustin Yosifovich Ushko, 3-rd Mytishchinskaja ulitsa, 14-2, Apt. 138; Valentin Mikhailovich Dolgov, Zia-377, 118 kvartal, korpus I, Apt. 11; Jury Niclrolaevich Tselov, uiitsa Fonvizina, 6b, Apt. 66; and Valentin Petrovich Sharanov, Z-nd Novo-Ostankinskaja ulitsa, 4b, Apt. 55, all of Moscow, U.S.S.R.

Filed Mar. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 352,420 14 Claims. (Cl. 83-10) The invention relates to techniques for dividing sheet blanks of crystalline semi-conductor materials (silicon, germanium and quartz) into separate laminae and more particularly to apparatus which makes it possible to divide such blanks into separate polygonal laminae.

Techniques for dividing crystal semi-conductor materials into separate laminae to cutting blanks are known.

These techniques involve the use of devices employing rapidly rotating diamond discs or translationally moving, thin wires moistened with an abrasive suspension. In these devices, blanks are stuck together and fixed to a faceplate.

The shortcomings of the known devices are as follows:

(1) Low operating efficiency;

(2) Formation of shunts on the side surfaces of the laminae because the material from the cutting tool is rubbed into them;

(3) A considerable loss of material when cutting width-wise of a cutting tool, especially when sheets with an area of mm. and less are cut.

Thus, for example, in case when the width of the grooves being cut is 0.2 mm., the loss of material when cutting the laminae with an area of l mm. is:

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus which divides sheet blanks of semi-conductor materials into separate laminae, ensures high operating etficiency, reduces the loss of material and produces sheets with smoother surfaces (without shunts).

Briefly, the invention contemplates apparatus for dividing crystalline semi-conductor materials by means of which a blank is scored on one side and is then bent along the score lines for dividing the blank into separate laminae.

In order to obtain laminae with an area of 10 mm. and less, a blank is first fixed on elastic sheet material and is then bent along the score lines for division into separate laminae by being passed through a fracturing mechanism.

A semi-automatic device for scoring sheet blanks of crystalline semi-conductor materials which are further divided into separate laminae is used for this purpose.

This semi-automatic device comprises a bed, a multipositional turntable, a device for fixing and holding the blanks while they are being scored, carriages with working heads provided with scoring holders having diamond tools and which rock in the plane perpendicular to the plane of scoring, and a device for removing the end products.

The scoring tools are inserted in spring-loaded heads to insure constant contact of the cutting tools with the scoring plane and to provide an unvarying scoring force.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings which show,

3,222,963 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 by way of example and not limitation, apparatus for practicing the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a semi-automatic device provided in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a similar apparatus which includes a slide for obtaining blanks having a size of 10 mm. and less;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a blank reinforced by elastic sheet material;

FIG. 4 is a view of the apparatus taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a fracturing mechanism utilized in practicing the invention.

The semi-automatic apparatus of the invention more particularly comprises a stand 1, periodically rotating multi-positional turntable 2, carriages 5 and 6 moving translationally along guides 3 and 4, respectively, and carrying working heads 7 and 8, fiat vacuum distributor 9 and means 10 (which is any conventional device such as a brush or suction device) for removing the end products. Multi-positional turntable 2 is provided with base plates 11 for supporting the blanks. Pins 12 (FIG. 1), are provided on plates 11 for fixing the positions of the blanks. The pins 12 serve as abutments for the blanks. They are only positioned adjacent a small portion of the edges of the blanks and thus do not constitute an obstacle to the removal of the blanks when rotated to a position adjacent means 10.

A vacuum chamber 13 (FIG. 4) of turntable 2 is connected to flat vacuum distributor 9 by channel 14 and is in communication with the atmosphere through opening 15. Vacuum distributor 9 is connected to a vacuum system (not shown) by hoses 32.

A diamond tool 16 (FIG. 4) is set into a mandrel 17 fixed by flat screw 18 in a tool holder 19.

Tool holder 19 is attached to fiat spring 20 fixed by screws 21 in a swinging plate 22 hinged on axis 23 of either of the working heads 7 and 8. The number of the diamond tools 16 set simultaneously into the working heads 7 and 8 depends on the required scoring of blanks 24.

The top of the cutting edge of diamond tool 16 is adjusted relative to base plates 11 of turntable 2 by means of screw 25 and lock nut 28 resting against boss 26 of housing 27 of corresponding heads 7 or 8.

The cutting force depends on the degree of bend of flat spring 20 attained by changing the position of rocking plate 22 by adjusting screw 29 (FIG. 4).

The fixing of tool holder 19 on flat spring 20, rocking in a plane perpendicular to the plane of scoring insures during scoring, a constant cutting force and contact of the cutting edge of diamond tool 16 with the surface of sheet blank 24.

The moving of working heads 7 and 8 in the direction perpendicular to the direction of scoring is provided in order to insure a convenient adjustment of the semi-automatic apparatus; for this purpose motion screws 30 and 31 (FIG. 1) are provided in each of the working heads.

On finishing the scoring and before removal of blanks 24, vacuum distributor 9 is in communication with the atmosphere through opening 33.

In dividing sheet blanks of semi-conductor materials into small laminae (with an area of 10 mm. and less), the blanks are reinforced by elastic sheet materials 34 (FIG. 3) (e.g. film, paper, etc.) in order to prevent the blanks from crumbling while being scored and fractured. Elastic sheet material 34 is glued with an adhesive 35 on the side opposite to the scoring side of the blanks.

In this case, carriages 5 and 6 with heads 7 and 8 secured therein are mounted on slide 37 (FIG. 2) riding in 3 guideways 36 arranged on stand 1. Slide 37 is caused to reciprocate step-wise at right angles to the scoring movement. Step wise reciprocation is maintained both in the idle travel of carriages 5 and 6 and at the time when the carriages are held at one of the extreme stations.

In case rectangular laminae are to be cut, the directions of the displacements of the working heads 7 and 8 is parallel; in case laminae in the form of a parallelogram are to be cut, these directions should intersect.

To cut laminae of a triangular form three cutting mechanisms should be installed.

The sheet blanks of an area of 10 mm. and less are fractured along the score lines in a fracturing mechanism when blank 24 passes between rotating elastic fracturing roller 38 and rigid supporting roller 39 (FIG. 5). Each blank placed on conveyor belt 40, pulled by tension roller 41, is twice passed between rollers 38 and 39.

The fracture of the blank along the score lines is carried out due to the bending of leading laminae relative to the following ones and in inter-perpendicular directions.

Thus, the invention makes it possible to divide sheet blanks of semi-conductor materials into separate laminae and insures high operating efficiency, reduction of the loss of material and the manufacture of laminae with smoother side surfaces (without shunts).

What is claimed is:

1. A semi-automatic apparatus for scoring sheet blanks of crystalline semi-conductor materials for subsequent division of said blanks into separate laminae, said semiautomatic device comprising: a bed, a multi-positional turntable on said bed; means for holding the blanks mounted on said turntable; guides including carriages movably arranged on said guides; working heads including scoring tools mounted on said carriages and swingable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of scoring; and means for removing said blanks after scoring.

2. A semi-automatic apparatus for scoring sheet blanks of crystalline semi-conductor materials for subsequent division of said blanks into separate laminae, said semiautomatic apparatus comprising: a bed; a multi-positional turntable mounted on said bed including base plates for placing blanks uniformly arranged on the plane of said turntable along the circumference thereof, each of said plates including pins relative to which the blanks are fixed and vacuum suckers for holding the blanks; guides mounted on said bed; carriages movably arranged on the guides; working heads including scoring tools mounted on said carriages and swingable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of scoring; and means for removing the blanks after scoring.

3. A semi-automatic device for scoring sheet blanks of crystalline semi-conductor materials for subsequent separation of said blanks into separate laminae, said semiautomatic device comprising: a bed; a multi-positional turntable mounted on said bed; means on said turntable for fixing the blanks; moving carriages; guides for guiding said carriages to move in parallel arranged at 90 one to another; working heads including scoring tools mounted on said carriages swingable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of scoring; and a means for removing the scored blanks.

4. A semi-automatic device for scoring sheet blanks of crystalline semi-conductor materials for subsequent separation of said blanks into separate laminae comprising: a bed; a multi-positional turntable mounted on said bed; means mounted on said turntable for fixing the blanks; guides arranged on said bed; carriages movably arranged on said guides; a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of scoring and fixed in said carriages; a plate hinged on said axis; a spring cantilevered on said plate; a tool holder including a diamond tool rigidly fixed on the cantilever of said spring and swingable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of scoring; and means for removing the scored blanks.

5. Apparatus for scoring a sheet blank of thin fracturable material comprising: a rotatable turntable, atleast one blank holding means on said turntable radially displaced from the axis of rotation of said turntable; and a working head disposed over said turntable and adapted to be reciprocatingly driven across said turntable, said working head including support means, and a plurality of scoring tools supported in spaced relationship by said support means and extending toward said turntable so that when said sheet blank is positioned below said working head and the latter is reciprocatingly driven a plurality of parallel scores are cut into said blank.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said blankholding means includes a vacuum chamber in said turntable communicating with the portion of the surface of the latter upon which a blank rests.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said support means comprises a support member, a plurality of mutually parallel flat springs including first and second ends, a plurality of means for connecting the first ends of each of said springs to said support member, and a plurality of tool holder means connected to the second ends of said springs respectively, each of said tool holder means holding one of said scoring tools.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each connecting means of said plurality includes a swinging plate, means connected to said support member for pivotably mounting said plate on an axis parallel to the plane of said turntable and means for controlling the position of said plate about said axis.

9. Apparatus for scoring a sheet blank of thin fracturable material comprising: a stepwise rotatable material, a plurality of blank holding means on said turntable radially displaced from the axis of rotation of said turntable; first and second working heads disposed over said turntable and adapted to be reciprocatingly driven; means for guiding said first working head over a first portion of said turntable; and means for guiding said second working head over a second portion of said turntable; each of said working heads including a support means and a plurality of scoring tools supported in spaced relationship by said support means and extending toward said turntable so that when said sheet blank is positioned below said working head and the latter is reciprocatingly driven a plurality of parallel scores are cut into said blank.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first and second working heads are positioned with respect to each other and said blank holding means are angularly disposed with respect to each other so that each working head can move over a blank holding means at each step of rotation of said rotatable turntable.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said guiding means guide said working members to move in spaced parallel directions and each of the blank holding means in pairs of the blank holding means is displaced by ninety degrees from each of the other blank holding means in said pairs of the blank holding means so that each blank is scored into a plurality of rectangular areas.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each blank holding means includes a vacuum chamber in said turntable communicating with the portion of the surface of the latter upon which a blank rests.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said support means comprises a support member, a plurality of mutually parallel fiat springs including first and second ends, a plurality of means for connecting the first ends of each of said springs to said support member, and a plurality of tool holder means connected to the second ends of said springs respectively, each of said tool holder means holding one of said scoring tools.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each connecting means of said plurality includes a swinging plate, means connected to said support member for pivotably mounting said plate on an axis parallel to the plane of said turntable and means for controlling the position of said plate 2,115,105 about said axis. 2,970,730 2,982,456 References Cited by the Examiner 3,040,489 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,149,765

810,993 1/ 1906 Strasburg 22596 818,713 4/1906 Smith 225-96 6 Haupt 5321 Schwartz 225-2 Hsu et al. 2252 Da Costa 5321 Homing et a1. 225-2 X WILLIAM W. DYER, 111., Primary Examiner.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Examiner. 

1. A SEMI-AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR SCORING SHEET BLANKS OF CRYSTALLINE SEMI-CONDUCTOR MATERIALS FOR SUBSEQUENT DIVISION OF SAID BLANKS INTO SEPARATE LAMINAE, SAID SEMIAUTOMATIC DEVICE COMPRISING: A BED, A MULTI-POSITIONAL TURNTABLE ON SAID BED; MEANS FOR HOLDING THE BLANKS MOUNTED ON SAID TURNTABLE; GUIDES INCLUDING CARRIAGES MOVABLY ARRANGED ON SAID GUIDES; WORKING HEADS INCLUDING SCORING TOOLS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGES AND SWINGABLE IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF SCORING; AND MEANS FOR REMOVIONG SAID BLANKS AFTER SCORING. 